GERD (acid reflux) decisions — 2019

The Board has determined that additional examinations are necessary for the Veteran's claims of service connection and initial compensable ratings for bilateral plantar fasciitis, tension headaches, sinusitis, eczema, dermatitis, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).

The Board has granted service connection for hiatal hernia and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD), finding that the Veteran's conditions are at least as likely as not related to his active service. The right knee condition is also found to be related to service, with the Board granting service connection.

The Veteran's GERD was granted a 30% disability rating, effective March 25, 2016. Service connection for right foot bunion and gout was denied.

The Board has denied the Veteran's claims for service connection for PTSD, Sleep Apnea, Bilateral Hearing Loss, Tinnitus, and GERD. The case is being remanded to obtain a VA examination for GERD.

The Veteran's appeal was dismissed due to his withdrawal of the issues of bilateral hearing loss and an increased evaluation in excess of 10 percent for hypertension.,Service connection for a left ventricular hypertrophy is granted, subject to further review.

The Board has remanded the Veteran's claims for sleep apnea, testicular cancer, heart condition, and GERD due to potential service connection issues. The claims are being reviewed again as there is insufficient medical evidence or opinions regarding whether these conditions were caused by or incurred during military service.

The Board denied service connection for bilateral hearing loss due to lack of evidence meeting VA criteria. The GERD case is remanded as the Veteran has not been examined regarding his claim.

The Veteran's claims for service connection have been granted for some conditions, but denied for others. The appeal is granted to the extent of reopening and granting of service connection for cervical spine disability and bilateral lower extremity disabilities. Service connection was denied for Parkinson’s disease, left shoulder, right shoulder, left knee, heart disability, constipation, GERD, neurogenic bladder, TIAs, left face drop (facial palsy), vocal cord dysfunction, left upper extremity atrophy, right upper extremity atrophy, left lower extremity peripheral neuropathy, and right lower extremity peripheral neuropathy. Service connection was not granted for sleep disorder.

The Board has determined that the Veteran's gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD) is at least as likely as not related to his active duty service, including his service in Saudi Arabia in 1991. As such, the claim for service connection for GERD is granted.

The Board has remanded the claims for further development due to insufficient rationale in the VA medical opinions provided.

The Veteran's previously denied claims for folliculitis of the back, dizziness, chronic fatigue syndrome and malaise, migraine headaches, dyshidrotic eczema, joint pain, and gastroesophageal reflux are now reopened. The Board finds that a remand is necessary to determine the nature and etiology of these conditions.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding the relationship between the Veteran's gastrointestinal disabilities and his service-connected orthopedic conditions, specifically NSAIDs use.

The Board has decided to remand several issues related to the Veteran's service-connected disabilities, including sleep apnea, shoulder disorder, back strain, rhinitis, and GERD. The AOJ is instructed to obtain STRs from reserve and National Guard service periods, private medical records, and VA treatment records.

The Board has remanded the issues of service connection for left shoulder disability, obstructive sleep apnea, and gastroesophageal reflux disease (GERD).,Service connection is not granted for these conditions as there is no evidence linking them to service.

The Veteran's migraine headaches are currently rated as 10 percent disabling prior to December 18, 2017 and 30 percent thereafter. The Veteran is seeking a higher rating for her IBS with GERD.,For the period from September 11, 2017 to December 17, 2017, the Veteran's IBS with GERD disability was rated as 30 percent disabling. Since then, she has been denied any increase in rating.

The Board has remanded the case due to insufficient evidence regarding whether exposure to contaminated water at Camp Lejeune is related to any current disabilities, including respiratory failure, bowel obstruction, gastroesophageal cancer, and prostate cancer.

The Board has granted service connection for tinnitus but remanded the issue of a rating in excess of 10 percent for GERD due to new evidence indicating worsening symptoms.

The Veteran withdrew her appeals of all the listed claims, including service connection and increased rating claims. The Board dismissed these issues as a result.

The Veteran's claims for service connection for COPD and GERD, both claimed to be due to asbestos exposure during military service, were denied. The VA examiners concluded that the current conditions are not related to service.,VA examiners found no direct link between the Veteran’s in-service asbestos exposure and his current diagnoses of COPD and GERD.

The Board dismissed the appeals for left inguinal pain disorder, right inguinal pain disorder, acid reflux disorder, residual appendectomy scar, and hyperthyroidism. Service connection was granted for hypertension.